Waters rising in San Antonio Village

The District Emergency Committee in the Orange Walk District is in full gear to deal with the flooding in that area. When we spoke with District Coordinator Elodio Aragon this morning, fifty-four residents were already seeking shelter in the Multi-purpose Complex. The thirty-two children and twenty-two adults were evacuated from communities such as Smithsonian, Louisiana, Trial Farm and Santa Familia and more were expected later that day. Two of the hardest hit villages, however, are San Roman and San Antonio, where the waters rising from the Rio Hondo have made them temporary islands. Today News Five’s Reporter Kendra Griffith and cameraman Rick Romero ventured into San Antonio and found that the water was just about to creep up into the village.

Kendra Griffith
“This is the road leading to San Antonio Village in the Orange Walk District. With the water as high as four feet in some areas, getting in and out of the village by passenger vehicle is impossible.”

“… The remaining three quarter mile is done by boat.”

Lydia Castillo, San Antonio Resident
“It’s raising lee bit by lee bit and right now it’s about two weeks it’s been raising. Right now my yard done got water.”

Kendra Griffith
“You think you’ll have to move out of your house?”

Lydia Castillo
“No. Di water will only until weh di stairs deh, right deh.”

Roque Castillo, San Antonio Resident
“The water come sometimes as far as this.”

Kendra Griffith
“Do you move out, do you stay? What do you do?”

Roque Castillo
“No, we don’t move out because my house is high so the water doesn’t come up.”

Kendra Griffith
“Has the water been coming up quickly?”

Roque Castillo
“Yes, rising and everyday we got plenty. Yesterday the water was not on the road and now ih done di pass through this side.”

Kendra Griffith
“When did vehicles stop being able to pass through the road?”

Rudolfo Mendez, Chairman, San Antonio
“They start from bout Four days because we have to stop them. We have taken about five families. Well, they are in the water right now and we put them in the community center for the shelter.”

Elodio Aragon, Coordinator, NEMO Orange Walk
“We have been having meetings on a daily basis. As a matter of fact, yesterday we sent four of our members down into San Antonio, San Roman, and way down to Santa Cruz to get a first experience of what’s happening there. They came back and they reported to us. We are on a daily—everyday, like just now we had a meeting, tomorrow we have a meeting. We’re trying to keep on top of everything. The rivers are still going up, so people who live near the rivers, they are the ones who must be careful. If they see the water has risen close to their house they should move and look for shelter or go with families and friends.”

As the crew was leaving San Antonio this evening, the rains were starting again.